Judge Dismisses Craigslist Lawsuit

Cops will have to continue to pick up prostitutes the old-fashioned way

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Craigslist is going to start cracking down on people who use the site to promote prostitution.

An Illinois sheriff has been on a crusade to shut down the Craigslist sex trade. His quest hit a major road-block this week after a federal judge dismissed his request to force the web site to eliminate its erotic services category.

"Sheriff Dart may continue to use Craigslist's Web site to identify and pursue individuals who post allegedly unlawful content," Grady wrote in his ruling. "But he cannot sue Craigslist for their conduct."

Craigslist, however, has changed its rules for the category.

Last November, Craigslist pledged to crack down on prostitution ads as part of an agreement with several attorneys general. It said it would require anyone who posts such an ad to provide a working phone number and pay a fee with a valid credit card.